Healthcare

The SDLP wants to create a modern, financially sustainable Health and Social Care system that delivers universal, high quality and safe services that are free at the point of delivery.

The SDLP recognises that health systems which are orientated towards primary care services achieve better health outcomes, with higher rate of patient satisfaction at a lower overall cost. General practice is the backbone of primary care and it is most effective when integrated across the wider primary care team, including nurses, pharmacists and other allied health professionals.

The failure to support primary care has led to difficulties in terms of GP recruitment and retention, a lack of capital investment in primary care facilities while at the same time there are increased workloads for GPs due to ever increasing demand for services.

Mental Health

Northern Ireland has higher levels of mental ill-health than any other region of these islands. It is estimated that one in four adults here will suffer from a mental health problem at some stage in their life.

A research project undertaken by the Commission for Victims and Survivors and Ulster University found that a staggering 213,000 of the people in Northern Ireland suffer from some sort of mental illness and that almost half of these are directly related to the Troubles.

Durkan calls on Health Minister to prioritise mental health

Posted on 15/11/2016 by Mark H Durkan MLA

SDLP Health Spokesperson Mark H Durkan MLA has called on Health Minister Michelle O’Neill to prioritise mental health provision after it was revealed that no Health Trust is meeting 13-week targets for treatment of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.

SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan joined Party Leader Colum Eastwood and colleagues Daniel McCrossan MLA and Richie McPhillips MLA at a meeting with Western Health and Social Care Trust officials over a huge underspend on learning disability services.

Mental Health no priority for Sinn Féin

Durkan campaigns to extend meningitis vaccine

Posted on 25/04/2016

SDLP Foyle MP Mark Durkan has joined MPs from all parties and over 823,000 people across the UK who signed the largest-ever parliamentary petition to call for the lifesaving meningococcal B (Men B) vaccine be extended to those most at risk – children up to the age of 11.